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Commander in Chief (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Commander in Chief is an American
drama television series that focused on the fictional administration and family of Mackenzie Allen (portrayed by Geena Davis
), the first female President of the United States
, who ascends to the role from the Vice Presidency after the death of the sitting President from a sudden cerebral aneurysm
.
The series began broadcasting on ABC
on Tuesday, September 27, 2005, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, although most countries outside North America began screening the series in mid-2006. It garnered the highest ratings for a series debut on a Tuesday night.
The show was #1 on Tuesday nights until FOX's American Idol
took this honor. The show was also the #1 new show of the season until CBS' Criminal Minds
surpassed it. Its major competitor in the 9:00 p.m. timeslot was FOX's House
, which aired after American Idol.
The series was created by American director Rod Lurie
, director of the films The Contender and Deterrence
, and may have been inspired by The West Wing, a popular political drama on rival NBC
.
The network replaced Lurie with Steven Bochco
as show runner
, but declining ratings brought about a hiatus, a timeslot change, and ultimately cancellation.
and Vice President
were named after the two actors who played those roles in Rod Lurie
's previous political thriller, The Contender. Teddy Bridges, named for Jeff Bridges
who played President Jackson Evans, and Mackenzie Allen, named for Joan Allen
who played Laine Hanson, his Vice Presidential nominee.
and Reason
magazine charged that the series glorified the "Imperial Presidency
" and that it favored using government force to impose the personal values of some Americans on other Americans who disagreed with them and to impose the values of those Americans on the rest of the world.
General criticisms included that the series was so centered on Allen's gender that this becomes the focus of the show instead of the character's capability. However, a counter-argument is that the series was trying to depict realistically what the general public's reaction to the first female president would be, and such an occurrence would probably also focus public scrutiny on a female president's gender rather than her policies. Negative comparisons have also been drawn with 24
's black president David Palmer
, as while in that show a black president was depicted as having been voted into office under normal circumstances, Commander in Chiefs storyline showed a female president only coming into the presidency via the 25th Amendment after the existing president dies in office.
However, in interviews on the show's website various cast members said that as time went on there was supposed to be less focus on her gender and more on the fact that she was an independent, especially when she would have run for election.
The April 27 episode generated further controversy and negative press in its fictional depiction of the bordering suburb of Hyattsville, Maryland
, as having the highest murder rate in the United States
. It also indirectly depicted the town as being an urban ghetto dominated by poor minorities. The city and Prince George's County were very upset at ABC
and somewhat surprised as well at this depiction; in reality, the city is ethnically mixed, middle-income and mostly suburban in density and character. On May 1, 2006, ABC
formally apologized to both the city and county.
The Traditional Values Coalition
, FrontPage Magazine and conservative commentators have gone on record complaining that the show was really a thinly-veiled attempt to lay groundwork for a possible 2008 Presidential run by prominent Democrat Hillary Clinton. This charge has been denied by Lurie, Davis and ABC.
. Commander in Chief was scheduled to return on April 18. However, on March 29, ABC announced that it would instead return on April 13 and move from its Tuesday 9 p.m. slot to a 10 p.m. slot on Thursdays, directly competing with CBS
hit Without a Trace
and longtime NBC
standby ER
. Some media experts thought that ABC was hoping the show could be saved by gaining viewers from the surprise reality hit American Inventor
aired right before Commander in Chief. However, the reality show saw its ratings drop by half, and proved to be a weak lead in to Commander in Chief.
The show's return April 13 was met by low ratings in its new time slot. Preliminary ratings available April 14 indicated that only 8.2 million viewers (2.4 rating/7 share in the 18-49 demographic) tuned in for the show's return. CBS's Without a Trace dominated the hour with 18.6 million viewers. NBC's ER, airing a repeat, beat Commander in Chief in the 18-49 demographic (2.6/7 versus 2.4/7), although it had about two million viewers less overall.
ABC pulled the series from its lineup on May 2, 2006, and on May 13, announced that the show had been cancelled. The remaining three episodes of the season were broadcast after the ratings year had ended.
that it is no longer in the works.
Upon winning a Golden Globe for her performance, Davis gave a memorable acceptance speech in which she told of encountering an 8 year old girl "in her first party dress" who told Davis "Because of you, I want to be president when I grow up." Eliciting a heartfelt reaction from the audience, Davis then revealed "Okay, that didn't really happen...but it very well could have!"
In Italy, the 5 DVD boxset was released on December 1, 2006 and it contains all original episodes dubbed in Italian plus voice tracks in English and Spanish and also special features the Pilot episode with comments by Rod Lurie and deleted scenes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
drama television series that focused on the fictional administration and family of Mackenzie Allen (portrayed by Geena Davis
Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
), the first female President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, who ascends to the role from the Vice Presidency after the death of the sitting President from a sudden cerebral aneurysm
Cerebral aneurysm
A cerebral or brain aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel.- Signs and symptoms :...
.
The series began broadcasting on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
on Tuesday, September 27, 2005, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, although most countries outside North America began screening the series in mid-2006. It garnered the highest ratings for a series debut on a Tuesday night.
The show was #1 on Tuesday nights until FOX's American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
took this honor. The show was also the #1 new show of the season until CBS' Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
surpassed it. Its major competitor in the 9:00 p.m. timeslot was FOX's House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
, which aired after American Idol.
The series was created by American director Rod Lurie
Rod Lurie
Rod Lurie is an Israeli-American director, screenwriter and former film critic.-Early life and career:The son of internationally syndicated cartoonist Ranan Lurie, he was born in Israel but moved to the United States at a young age, growing up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Honolulu,...
, director of the films The Contender and Deterrence
Deterrence (film)
Deterrence is a 1999 French/American dramatic film written and directed by Rod Lurie, depicting fictional events about nuclear brinksmanship. It marks the feature directorial debut of Lurie, who was previously a film critic for the New York Daily News, Premiere Magazine, Entertainment Weekly and...
, and may have been inspired by The West Wing, a popular political drama on rival NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
The network replaced Lurie with Steven Bochco
Steven Bochco
Steven Ronald Bochco is a US television producer and writer. He has developed a number of popular television hits including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, as well as some notable flops such as Cop Rock....
as show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
, but declining ratings brought about a hiatus, a timeslot change, and ultimately cancellation.
Characters
The characters of the PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
were named after the two actors who played those roles in Rod Lurie
Rod Lurie
Rod Lurie is an Israeli-American director, screenwriter and former film critic.-Early life and career:The son of internationally syndicated cartoonist Ranan Lurie, he was born in Israel but moved to the United States at a young age, growing up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Honolulu,...
's previous political thriller, The Contender. Teddy Bridges, named for Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
who played President Jackson Evans, and Mackenzie Allen, named for Joan Allen
Joan Allen
Joan Allen is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989.She has received three Academy Award nominations;...
who played Laine Hanson, his Vice Presidential nominee.
Main characters
- President Mackenzie "Mac" Allen (Geena DavisGeena DavisVirginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
) – former member of Congress from ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and chancellorChancellorChancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the University of RichmondUniversity of RichmondThe University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, an IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
chosen by RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt "Teddy" Bridges as his running mate and duly elected. The first female vice president and, on Bridges's death, the first female president. - First GentlemanFirst Lady of the United StatesFirst Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Rod Calloway (Kyle SecorKyle SecorKyle Ivan Secor is an American television and movie actor, best known for his role as Detective Tim Bayliss on the crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street.-Early years:...
) – Allen's husband; formerly her vice presidential chief of staff. - Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton (Donald SutherlandDonald SutherlandDonald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
) – Republican congressional leader from FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Bridges's choice to succeed him as president. Has significant resentment toward President Allen. This was Donald SutherlandDonald SutherlandDonald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
's first regular role on a television series. - White House Chief of Staff Jim Gardner (Harry Lennix) – formerly President Bridges's chief of staff, asked by President Allen to continue into her administration. Mac later offered him to be her Vice President after Warren Keaton resigns and he accepts.
- Press Secretary Kelly Ludlow (Ever CarradineEver CarradineEver Dawn Carradine is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Tiffany Porter on Once and Again and as Kelly Ludlow on Commander in Chief.-Early life:...
) – brought into Allen's administration from her vice presidential residential staff; formerly her communications director. - Horace Calloway (Matt LanterMatt LanterMatthew Mackendree "Matt" Lanter is an American actor, former reality TV personality and model, perhaps best known for his roles in Commander in Chief, 90210, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Disaster Movie, Sorority Row and Vampires Suck.-Early life and career:Lanter was born in Massillon, Stark...
), Rebecca Calloway (Caitlin WachsCaitlin WachsCaitlin Elizabeth Wachs is an American actress who has acted in several films and TV series. She appeared alongside Ally Walker and Robert Davi in Profiler, and played the president's daughter, Rebecca Calloway, on the series Commander in Chief....
), and Amy Calloway (Jasmine Jessica AnthonyJasmine Jessica Anthony-Early life:Jasmine Jessica Anthony was born in Tarzana, California to Art Anthony. She began stage dancing at the age of two, and announced her intentions to act at the age of three, and got her first agent a few months later. From there, she began to audition for roles.-Career:Anthony made her...
) – Mac and Rod's three children, sixteen-year-old twins and a six-year-old daughter. Rebecca frowns on her mother's choice to assume the presidency and holds more conservative political views than her mother does.
Other characters
| Actor/Actress | Character | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Coyote Peter Coyote Peter Coyote is an American actor, author, director, screenwriter and narrator of films, theatre, television and audio books. His voice work includes narrating the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics and Apple's iPad campaign. He has also served as on-camera co-host of the 2000 Oscar... |
Warren Keaton | Vice President of the United States Vice President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term... (resigns in Episode 15) |
| Polly Bergen Polly Bergen Polly Bergen is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur.-Career:Bergen appeared in many film roles, most notably in the original Cape Fear opposite Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum... |
Kate Allen | President Allen's mother and White House hostess |
| Mark-Paul Gosselaar Mark-Paul Gosselaar Mark-Paul Harry Gosselaar is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Zack Morris in NBC's Saved by the Bell, Good Morning, Miss Bliss, and Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Detective John Clark in NYPD Blue, Jerry Kellerman in TNT's Raising the Bar, and more recently Peter... |
Richard "Dickie" McDonald | Campaign Advisor |
| Matt Barr Matt Barr Matthew Jerome "Matt" Barr is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his roles as Mike Fleming in Commander in Chief, Ian Banks in One Tree Hill, Christopher Sullivan in the mystery horror series Harper's Island, and Dan Patch in The CW series Hellcats.-Early life:Matthew... |
Mike Fleming Mike Fleming Mike Fleming is a conservative radio talk show host in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a commentator of the traditional journalistic school with an enhanced personality. Mr. Fleming has more than three decades of journalism experience, having worked for several prominent Tennessee and Florida... |
radio commentator |
| Anthony Azizi Anthony Azizi Anthony Azizi is an American television actor.Born in New York City of Iranian descent, Azizi is mainly known for his television work. He has had recurring roles on 24 as terrorist Mamud Faheen , on 24 as Rafique and on Commander in Chief as presidential aide Vince Taylor... |
Vince Taylor | Special Aide to the President |
| Natasha Henstridge Natasha Henstridge Natasha T. Henstridge is a Canadian fashion model turned actress. Her most notable on-screen roles include Species, The Whole Nine Yards, It Had To Be You, Ghosts of Mars, She Spies, the TV series Eli Stone, and the Canadian TV mini-series Would Be Kings, for which she won the Gemini Award for... |
Jayne Murray | Speaker's chief of staff |
Reception
The Cato InstituteCato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
and Reason
Reason (magazine)
Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation. The magazine has a circulation of around 60,000 and was named one of the 50 best magazines in 2003 and 2004 by the Chicago Tribune.- History :...
magazine charged that the series glorified the "Imperial Presidency
Imperial Presidency
Imperial Presidency is a term that became popular in the 1960s and that served as the title of a 1973 volume by historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. to describe the modern presidency of the United States...
" and that it favored using government force to impose the personal values of some Americans on other Americans who disagreed with them and to impose the values of those Americans on the rest of the world.
General criticisms included that the series was so centered on Allen's gender that this becomes the focus of the show instead of the character's capability. However, a counter-argument is that the series was trying to depict realistically what the general public's reaction to the first female president would be, and such an occurrence would probably also focus public scrutiny on a female president's gender rather than her policies. Negative comparisons have also been drawn with 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
's black president David Palmer
David Palmer (24 character)
David Palmer, J.D. is a fictional President of the United States played by Dennis Haysbert as part of the television series 24. Palmer served as the show's second-most prominent protagonist, after Jack Bauer. Throughout the series, Palmer's ex-wife Sherry and brother Wayne are both key figures in...
, as while in that show a black president was depicted as having been voted into office under normal circumstances, Commander in Chiefs storyline showed a female president only coming into the presidency via the 25th Amendment after the existing president dies in office.
However, in interviews on the show's website various cast members said that as time went on there was supposed to be less focus on her gender and more on the fact that she was an independent, especially when she would have run for election.
The April 27 episode generated further controversy and negative press in its fictional depiction of the bordering suburb of Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
, as having the highest murder rate in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It also indirectly depicted the town as being an urban ghetto dominated by poor minorities. The city and Prince George's County were very upset at ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and somewhat surprised as well at this depiction; in reality, the city is ethnically mixed, middle-income and mostly suburban in density and character. On May 1, 2006, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
formally apologized to both the city and county.
The Traditional Values Coalition
Traditional Values Coalition
The Traditional Values Coalition is a conservative Christian organization that represents, by its estimate, over 43,000 Christian churches throughout the United States of America...
, FrontPage Magazine and conservative commentators have gone on record complaining that the show was really a thinly-veiled attempt to lay groundwork for a possible 2008 Presidential run by prominent Democrat Hillary Clinton. This charge has been denied by Lurie, Davis and ABC.
Ratings
The series went on hiatus after its January 24, 2006 episode. In its place, ABC promoted a new Arrested Development-type show titled Sons & DaughtersSons & Daughters (US TV series)
Sons & Daughters was an American situation comedy about an extended blended family living close together in a neighborhood. The producers, creator Fred Goss , Lorne Michaels , and Nick Holly, flavored the show with a mixed atmosphere of improvisational and scripted humor...
. Commander in Chief was scheduled to return on April 18. However, on March 29, ABC announced that it would instead return on April 13 and move from its Tuesday 9 p.m. slot to a 10 p.m. slot on Thursdays, directly competing with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
hit Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
and longtime NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
standby ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. Some media experts thought that ABC was hoping the show could be saved by gaining viewers from the surprise reality hit American Inventor
American Inventor
American Inventor is a reality television series based on a competition to be named America's best inventor. It was conceived by UK entrepreneur Peter Jones, who appears on the British version of the somewhat similar programme Dragons' Den, a format originated in Japan where it is owned by Sony....
aired right before Commander in Chief. However, the reality show saw its ratings drop by half, and proved to be a weak lead in to Commander in Chief.
The show's return April 13 was met by low ratings in its new time slot. Preliminary ratings available April 14 indicated that only 8.2 million viewers (2.4 rating/7 share in the 18-49 demographic) tuned in for the show's return. CBS's Without a Trace dominated the hour with 18.6 million viewers. NBC's ER, airing a repeat, beat Commander in Chief in the 18-49 demographic (2.6/7 versus 2.4/7), although it had about two million viewers less overall.
ABC pulled the series from its lineup on May 2, 2006, and on May 13, announced that the show had been cancelled. The remaining three episodes of the season were broadcast after the ratings year had ended.
Episodes
| No. | Prod. | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 101 | Pilot | September 27, 2005 |
| 2 | 102 | "First Choice" | October 4, 2005 |
| 3 | 103 | "First Strike" | October 11, 2005 |
| 4 | 104 | "First Dance" | October 18, 2005 |
| 5 | 105 | "First...Do No Harm" | October 25, 2005 |
| 6 | 106 | "First Disaster" | November 1, 2005 |
| 7 | 107 | "First Scandal" | November 8, 2005 |
| 8 | 108 | "Rubie Dubidoux and the Brown Bound Express" | November 15, 2005 |
| 9 | 109 | "The Mom Who Came to Dinner" | November 29, 2005 |
| 10 | 110 | "Sub Enchanted Evening" | January 10, 2006 |
| 11 | 111 | "No Nukes Is Good Nukes" | January 17, 2006 |
| 12 | 112 | "Wind Beneath My Wing" | January 24, 2006 |
| 13 | 113 | "State of The Unions" | April 13, 2006 |
| 14 | 114 | "The Price You Pay" | April 20, 2006 |
| 15 | 115 | "Ties That Bind" | April 27, 2006 |
| 16 | 116 | "The Elephant in the Room" | May 31, 2006 |
| 17 | 117 | "Happy Birthday, Madam President" | June 7, 2006 |
| 18 | 118 | "Unfinished Business" | June 14, 2006 |
TV film and second season
Shortly after the cancellation of the regular series, rumors began to arise that a TV movie would be produced in late 2006. Soon after, there were a number of reports confirming the TV film, one of which was made by Geena Davis to The Stage. The TV film was set to enter production, but columnist Matt Roush reported "on excellent authority" in TV GuideTV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
that it is no longer in the works.
Production
- Starting with the episode Rubie Dubidoux and the Brown Bound Express, Steven BochcoSteven BochcoSteven Ronald Bochco is a US television producer and writer. He has developed a number of popular television hits including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, as well as some notable flops such as Cop Rock....
replaced Rod LurieRod LurieRod Lurie is an Israeli-American director, screenwriter and former film critic.-Early life and career:The son of internationally syndicated cartoonist Ranan Lurie, he was born in Israel but moved to the United States at a young age, growing up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Honolulu,...
as head executive producer and showrunner. Bochco's changes included a staff of new writers and a new title design similar in style to that of NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The West Wing. - Part of the Greater Richmond Children's Choir (GRCC) of Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
was the French Choir in the pilotTelevision pilotA "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
episode, making an ironic connection between real life and fiction since Mackenzie Allen was Chancellor of the University of RichmondUniversity of RichmondThe University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
when Bridges tapped her as his running mate as seen as a flashback in the pilot, the scenes in Paris were also filmed at the University of Richmond. - Former Clinton Administration National Security Advisor Sandy BergerSandy BergerSamuel Richard "Sandy" Berger was United States National Security Advisor, under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his position, he helped to formulate the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration...
was signed on as an advisor to the show.
Filming locations
- City Hall - 200 N. Spring St., Downtown, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, USA - Oriole ParkOriole ParkOriole Park is the name of several former major league and minor league baseball parks in Baltimore, Maryland.It is also half the name of the current home of the Baltimore Orioles of the American League, its full name being Oriole Park at Camden Yards....
at Camden Yards - 333 W. Camden Street, Baltimore, Maryland, USA - Raleigh Studios - 5300 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, California, USA (studio)
- University of RichmondUniversity of RichmondThe University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
- 28 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, USA - Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- The Huntington LibraryThe Huntington LibraryThe Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is an educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington in San Marino, in the San Rafael Hills near Pasadena, California in the United States...
- San Marino, CaliforniaSan Marino, CaliforniaSan Marino is a small, affluent city in Los Angeles County, California. Incorporated in 1913, the City founders designed the community to be uniquely residential, with expansive properties surrounded by beautiful gardens, wide streets, and well maintained parkways...
, USA - Intersection of North Vermont Avenue and Russell Avenue, Los Feliz, California, USA
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Satellite Awards Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama... |
Nominated | Outstanding Actress in a Series, Drama | Geena Davis |
| 2006 | Emmy Award Emmy Award An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various... |
Nominated | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Geena Davis |
| GLAAD Media Awards GLAAD Media Awards The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives... |
Nominated | Outstanding Drama Series | |
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| Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign... |
Nominated | Best Television Series - Drama | |
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| Nominated | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Donald Sutherland | ||
| Won | Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama | Geena Davis | ||
| NAACP Image Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Harry Lennix | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Drama Series | |
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| Golden Reel Awards Motion Picture Sound Editors Founded in 1953, Motion Picture Sound Editors is an honorary society of motion picture sound editors. The society's goals are to educate others about and increase the recognition of the sound editors, show the artistic merit of the soundtracks, and improve the professional relationship of its... |
Nominated | Best Sound Editing in Television Short Form - Dialogue and Automated Dialogue Replacement | David Beadle, Fred Judkins, Thomas Kearney, Marla McGuire, Vic Radulich, and Ray Spiess (For pilot episode) | |
| People's Choice Awards People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett... |
Nominated | Favorite New Television Drama | |
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| Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
Nominated | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | Geena Davis | |
| Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Nominated | Best Performance in a TV Series (Drama) - Supporting Young Actress | Caitlin Wachs | |
| Nominated | Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actress Age Ten or Younger | Jasmine Jessica Anthony | ||
| 2007 | Visual Effects Society Awards Visual Effects Society The Visual Effects Society is the entertainment industry's only organization representing the full breadth of visual effects practitioners including artists, animators, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and producers in all areas of... |
Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program | Adam Ealovega, Michael Enriquez, Mark Kolpack, and Mark Spatny (For episode "The Wind Beneath Her Wings") |
| Nominated | Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Broadcast Program | Michael Enriquez (For episode "Air Force One") |
Upon winning a Golden Globe for her performance, Davis gave a memorable acceptance speech in which she told of encountering an 8 year old girl "in her first party dress" who told Davis "Because of you, I want to be president when I grow up." Eliciting a heartfelt reaction from the audience, Davis then revealed "Okay, that didn't really happen...but it very well could have!"
DVD release
On April 28, 2006, Buena Vista Home Video formally announced the release of Commander In Chief: The Complete First Season. However, following the show's cancellation, it was decided that it should be split into two volumes.In Italy, the 5 DVD boxset was released on December 1, 2006 and it contains all original episodes dubbed in Italian plus voice tracks in English and Spanish and also special features the Pilot episode with comments by Rod Lurie and deleted scenes.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Region 1 | Region 2 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Inaugural Edition, Part 1 | 10 | June 27, 2006 | N/A | Episodes 1 - 10 |
| The Inaugural Edition, Part 2 | 8 | September 5, 2006 | N/A | Episodes 11 - 18, Interview with Geena Davis, Unaired Scenes, Bloopers, Exclusive Creator Commentaries. |
| The Complete First Season | 18 | N/A | January 29, 2007 | Interview with Geena Davis, Unaired Scenes, Bloopers, Exclusive Creator Commentaries. |
International broadcasts
- Australia - Previously: Seven Network AustraliaSeven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
(Original airing)
Currently: 7TWO7Two7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
(Encore Screening - 2009) - Asia - Star WorldSTAR WorldSTAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
, Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family... - Belgium - Fox lifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
- Bulgaria - Fox lifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
as "Главнокомандващ" - Canada - CTVCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
(English) - Denmark - TV 2TV 2 (Denmark)TV 2 is a publicly owned television station in Denmark based in Odense. The station began broadcasting on 1 October 1988, thereby ending the television monopoly previously exercised by the Danmarks Radio ....
- Estonia - Fox lifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
- Finland - NelonenNelonenNelonen is a Finnish commercial TV channel. It started out as Helsinki's local television channel PTV in 1989 on the HTV cable network, which name was changed first to PTV4 and then to Nelonen. It started on June 1, 1997. Nelonen, in Finnish, means the glyph of the number four. The channel is...
- France - M6Métropole 6M6, also known as Metropole television, is the most profitable private national French TV channel and the third most watched television network in the French-speaking world...
then Téva - Germany - Sat.1Sat.1Sat.1 is a privately owned German television broadcasting station. Sat.1 was the first privately owned television broadcasting station in Germany, having started one day before RTL Television....
as "Welcome, Mrs. President" - Hong Kong - ATV WorldATV WorldATV World , is one of the free-to-air English language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival TVB Pearl. Its sister station, ATV Home, broadcasts in Cantonese language...
as 最高統帥 (Commander in Chief) - Hungary - Viasat 3Viasat 3Viasat 3 is a Hungarian TV channel. It was originally named Alfa TV, but when in 2000 the station was bought by Swedish MTG its name was changed. It began broadcasting as Viasat 3 in October 2000....
as "Az elnöknő" (Mrs. President) - India - Star WorldSTAR WorldSTAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
- Indonesia - Metro TV
- Republic of Ireland - RTÉ OneRTÉ OneRTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
- Israel - Yes TV as "Gvirti Hanasie" (Madam President)
- Italy - Rai UnoRai UnoRai 1 is the primary television station of RAI, the national public service broadcaster, and the most watched television channel in Italy. It was born as Rai Tv from 1954 to 1961, called Programma Nazionale from 1961 to 1979, after called Rete 1 from 1979 to 1982, then called Rai Uno from 1982 to...
and Fox LifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
as "Una donna alla Casa Bianca" (A woman at the White House) - Japan - Fox lifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
as "マダムプレジデント" - Kenya - NTV
- Latin America - Sony Entertainment Television
- Latvia - Fox lifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
- Lithuania - Fox lifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
- Malaysia - 8TV8tv8tv is a common name for television channels. It may refer to:*8TV in Catalonia, Spain*8TV *8TV 8TV in China*WISH-TV in Indianapolis, USA*Wood TV in Michigan, USA...
- Middle East - Showtime Arabia / MBC 4
- Netherlands - Foxlife
- New Zealand - TV2
- Norway - TVNORGETVNorgeTVNorge is a Norwegian television channel.TVNorge went on the air December 5, 1988 and was the first advertising-supported Norwegian channel. The channel was started with 50 000 NOK...
- Philippines - STAR WorldSTAR WorldSTAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
- Pakistan - Star WorldSTAR WorldSTAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
From October 12 2007 - Poland - TVP1 as "Pani prezydent" (Madam President)
- Portugal - SICSIC (Portugal)SIC - Sociedade Independente de Comunicação is a Portuguese television network and media company, which runs several television channels. Their flagship channel is the eponymous SIC, the third terrestrial television station in Portugal, launched on October 6, 1992...
as "Senhora Presidente" (Mrs. President) - Russia - Fox LifeFox LifeFox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
- Serbia - RTS 2 as "Predsednica" (Mrs. President)
- Singapore - MediaCorpMediaCorpMedia Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
- Slovenia - POP TVPOP TVPOP TV is a Slovenian commercial television station operated by the multi-media company PRO PLUS d.o.o.It is a TV channel with the highest ratings in Slovenia , and at the same time the most popular and trustworthy...
as "Gospa predsednica" (Mrs. President) - South Africa - SABC 2SABC 2SABC 2 is a South African television channel owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation . SABC 2 broadcasts programming in English, Afrikaans, Venda, and Tsonga.It was created in 1996, after the SABC restructured its television channels...
- South Korea - KBS2
- Spain - People&Arts/La SextaLa SextalaSexta is the sixth nationwide broadcast television station in Spain. It is privately owned and began broadcasting in 2006.-Programming:....
as "Señora Presidenta" (Mrs. President) - Sweden - TV4TV4 ABTV4 Group is a Swedish media company that owns the largest commercial television channel in Sweden, TV4.Since 2007, the company is fully owned by Bonnier through Nordic Broadcasting Oy...
- Switzerland - SF zwei as "Welcome, Mrs. President" (German+English Bilingual)
- Taiwan - Public Television Service as "白宮女總統" (Female President at the White House) http://www.pts.org.tw/~web02/cic/
- Thailand - TrueVisionsTrueVisionsTrueVisions is Thailand's leading cable satellite television operator, broadcasting largely in English. Now owned by the True Corporation, the company was formerly known as the United Broadcasting Corporation , but it was rebranded in February 2007....
16 Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
as "ประธานาธิบดีดอกไม้เหล็ก"(Iron Flower Mrs. President) - Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
- CNMG - Turkey - DiziMaxDiziMaxDiziMax is a series of Satellite television channels available on Turkish satellite television provider Digiturk. It consists of DiziMax, DiziMax HD, and DiziMaxMore and is available on Sinema Paketi ....
- United Kingdom - ABC1 (Apr 2006), More4More4More4 is a digital television channel, run by British broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. It is carried on Freeview, on satellite broadcasters Freesat and Sky, UK IPTV broadcaster TalkTalk TV and on UK cable network Virgin Media and in the Republic of Ireland cable networks...
(10 October 2006), with repeats on More4, Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, and E4